Our Responsibility
At Merck Serono, we take our responsibility seriously. Responsibility determines our entrepreneurial actions and characterizes
our behaviour towards customers, employees and other key stakeholders.
It is one of the core values we share as a division of Merck.
Through our membership in the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest global corporate citizenship initiative, we embrace a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, anticorruption and the environment.
Underscoring this commitment, our reporting follows the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), a global multistakeholder network which sets out a framework for sustainable development reporting. This reflects another of our core values, that of transparency. Transparency makes mutual trust possible, through the involvement of all stakeholders through information.
Responsibility is multifaceted for Merck Serono:
Our responsibility begins with patients, whose serious unmet medical needs are the reason we strive to discover and develop
new therapies. Each year, Merck Serono dedicates over 20% of total revenues or around EUR 1 billion to research and develop
new treatments in our therapeutic areas of focus.
Our first responsibility is to help patients with serious, life-altering conditions for which there is currently no cure. We work to develop new treatments for major diseases like cancer, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease as well as orphan drugs for rare conditions and disorders.
Our first responsibility is to help patients with serious, life-altering conditions for which there is currently no cure. We work to develop new treatments for major diseases like cancer, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease as well as orphan drugs for rare conditions and disorders.
Our responsibility is fully engaged through our innovative drug products, of both chemical and biotechnological origin, which
we develop, manufacture and commercialize according to the best practices of our industry.
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We adhere to quality standards for the clinical development of active ingredients according to International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines for Good Clinical Practice (GCP). We are committed to ensuring that each patient is informed about the potential benefits as well as the possible risks of experimental therapy.
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The manufacture of our chemical and biopharmaceutical medicines is carried out at some 25 production sites around the world in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
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When it comes to promoting our products to prescribers and other healthcare professionals, Merck Serono adheres to the latest industry codes set by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) as well as local industry bodies. What’s more, as the division for innovative prescription medicines of the Merck group, we comply with the stringent “Merck Pharmaceutical Marketing Best Practices,” which set the standard within our group for good and responsible marketing practices in regards to pharmaceutical products
Our responsibility naturally extends to the environment. Across our production sites on four continents, manufacturing is
carried out according to our “Principles and Strategies for Health, Safety and the Environment” that implement the guidelines
formulated by the national and international associations of the chemical industry in the Responsible Care® guidelines and
in strict adherence to regional and local standards. Merck Serono aims to minimize the environmental impact of our manufacturing
activities through reduced energy and water consumption, reduced CO2 emissions, increased waste/recycling ratio (recycled
waste/total waste).
Seven Merck Serono production sites currently operate under ISO 14001 certification, the international standard for environmental excellence, and the certification process is in progress to achieve ISO 14001 certification for all 25 sites by 2010 as well as for the division headquarters in Geneva.
Our responsibility for both the environment and employees converges in our award-winning global headquarters in Geneva. The soaring glass-clad complex, along with three renovated 19th-century historical buildings, is a testament to sustainable development and an integral part of the surrounding environment.
Conducted in partnership with the Canton of Geneva, the lake-water energy project is a long-term investment that will ultimately
benefit the neighbouring district of international organizations. This innovative project represents an energy savings of
1,500 tons of oil and reduced air emissions of 5,000 tons of CO2 per year for the Merck Serono buildings only. These environmental
benefits will increase as new users gradually join, beginning with the UN European Headquarters as of 2009.
Merck Serono encourages employees to use alternative means of transportation for travelling to and from work in Geneva. A limited number of parking spots are available for employees based at headquarters and a variety of incentives and plans promote environmentally friendly alternatives such as public transport, carpooling, cycling…
Seven Merck Serono production sites currently operate under ISO 14001 certification, the international standard for environmental excellence, and the certification process is in progress to achieve ISO 14001 certification for all 25 sites by 2010 as well as for the division headquarters in Geneva.
Our responsibility for both the environment and employees converges in our award-winning global headquarters in Geneva. The soaring glass-clad complex, along with three renovated 19th-century historical buildings, is a testament to sustainable development and an integral part of the surrounding environment.
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70% of energy consumed on-site comes from renewable sources
- 50% of energy is obtained through water from Lake Geneva
- 20% of energy comes from hydraulic electricity -
Glass façade allows passive solar energy and maximizes use of natural light
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Free cooling and natural ventilation contribute to reduce energy consumption
Merck Serono encourages employees to use alternative means of transportation for travelling to and from work in Geneva. A limited number of parking spots are available for employees based at headquarters and a variety of incentives and plans promote environmentally friendly alternatives such as public transport, carpooling, cycling…
Responsibility for employees works both ways: we expect our employees to act responsibly and, in return, we recognize that
entrepreneurial success starts with people.
Employees are asked to adhere to the Merck Code of Conduct (“To do what is right”) that provides a clear framework for our relationships with various stakeholders and fosters integrity and compliance.
Merck Serono is committed to recruiting and retaining the best talents in the industry and we are recognized as a leading employer in the biotech and pharmaceutical sector. We strive to create an environment in which individuals can add value and participate in the growth and development of our company. As a responsible employer, we offer attractive rewards and benefits, career development and training opportunities.
At Merck Serono, we make health and safety of our employees in the workplace a priority. This commitment is reflected in a number of prevention and educational programs as well as in rigorous safety procedures.
Responsibility for employees also means creating an environment that fosters a healthy work-life balance. Merck Serono’s Geneva headquarters integrate the following services:
Employees are asked to adhere to the Merck Code of Conduct (“To do what is right”) that provides a clear framework for our relationships with various stakeholders and fosters integrity and compliance.
Merck Serono is committed to recruiting and retaining the best talents in the industry and we are recognized as a leading employer in the biotech and pharmaceutical sector. We strive to create an environment in which individuals can add value and participate in the growth and development of our company. As a responsible employer, we offer attractive rewards and benefits, career development and training opportunities.
At Merck Serono, we make health and safety of our employees in the workplace a priority. This commitment is reflected in a number of prevention and educational programs as well as in rigorous safety procedures.
Responsibility for employees also means creating an environment that fosters a healthy work-life balance. Merck Serono’s Geneva headquarters integrate the following services:
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“Crescendo” an on-site crèche for 80 children in partnership with the City of Geneva (2/3 for employees, 1/3 for local residents)
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“Energy Center”, an on-site fitness center
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Part-time social worker
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Personal services: dry cleaning, massage, mini-shop, etc.
Responsibility to the community is engaged both globally and locally. At global level, Merck Serono helps combat schistosomiasis
in African schoolchildren by contributing to the
Merck-Praziquantel Donation Program (MPDP), carried out in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2007. Over a ten-year period, Merck will provide free of charge 200 million tablets of Cesol® 600 (active ingredient praziquantel) with a value of approximately US$ 80 million. Schistosomiasis, which is caused by parasite flat worms and causes the most suffering among children, is the second-most common tropical disease in Africa after malaria. It causes anemia, stunted growth and leads to learning disabilities. Every year, around 200,000 people die of this insidious disease.
Merck Serono also helps developing countries fight against counterfeit drugs by supporting the GPHF-Minilab® program through the Global PharmaHealth Fund e.V.(GPHF) a charitable organization initiated and funded exclusively by donations from Merck. So far, over 300 units of the unique mobile mini laboratory for rapid and easy detection of counterfeit medicines have been supplied in 68 countries.
Our sense of responsibility to the community can also be seen in the close relationships we foster through sponsorships and donations to charitable and research foundations in Switzerland and the Lake Geneva area: Alliance SEP, Swiss MS Society (multiple sclerosis), ELA (neurodegenerative diseases), Fondation Dubois Ferrière Dinu Lipatti , ESCA, Swiss Cancer League (oncology), etc. Merck Serono is also engaged in the public understanding of science and an active participant in local events such as the Nuit de la Science (“Night of Science”), a biennial event in Geneva encouraging the pursuit of scientific knowledge for all ages, as well as public debates on scientific and medical topics organized in partnership with the University of Geneva. We frequently open our doors to local authorities and interest groups with events and thematic visits of our headquarters.
Merck-Praziquantel Donation Program (MPDP), carried out in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2007. Over a ten-year period, Merck will provide free of charge 200 million tablets of Cesol® 600 (active ingredient praziquantel) with a value of approximately US$ 80 million. Schistosomiasis, which is caused by parasite flat worms and causes the most suffering among children, is the second-most common tropical disease in Africa after malaria. It causes anemia, stunted growth and leads to learning disabilities. Every year, around 200,000 people die of this insidious disease.
Merck Serono also helps developing countries fight against counterfeit drugs by supporting the GPHF-Minilab® program through the Global PharmaHealth Fund e.V.(GPHF) a charitable organization initiated and funded exclusively by donations from Merck. So far, over 300 units of the unique mobile mini laboratory for rapid and easy detection of counterfeit medicines have been supplied in 68 countries.
Our sense of responsibility to the community can also be seen in the close relationships we foster through sponsorships and donations to charitable and research foundations in Switzerland and the Lake Geneva area: Alliance SEP, Swiss MS Society (multiple sclerosis), ELA (neurodegenerative diseases), Fondation Dubois Ferrière Dinu Lipatti , ESCA, Swiss Cancer League (oncology), etc. Merck Serono is also engaged in the public understanding of science and an active participant in local events such as the Nuit de la Science (“Night of Science”), a biennial event in Geneva encouraging the pursuit of scientific knowledge for all ages, as well as public debates on scientific and medical topics organized in partnership with the University of Geneva. We frequently open our doors to local authorities and interest groups with events and thematic visits of our headquarters.
